1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to electronic communications and, in particular, to tracking user availability for participation in messaging sessions. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to estimating user availability for participation in messaging sessions according to time zones and user scheduling.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the Internet and telephony expand, the ease of communications between individuals in different locations continues to expand as well. One type of electronic communication is supported by messaging which includes the use of computer systems and data communication equipment to convey messages from one person to another, as by e-mail, voice mail, unified messaging, instant messaging, or fax.
While e-mail has already expanded into nearly every facet of the business world, other types of messaging continue to forge into use. For example, instant messaging systems are typically utilized in the context of an Internet-supported application that transfers text between multiple Internet users in real time.
In particular, the Internet Relay Chat (IRC) service is one example of instant messaging that enables an Internet user to participate in an on-line conversation in real time with other users. An IRC channel, maintained by an IRC server, transmits the text typed by each user who has joined the channel to the other users who have joined the channel. An IRC client shows the names of the currently active channels, enables the user to join a channel, and then displays the other channel participant's words on individual lines so that the user can respond.
Similar to IRC, chat rooms are often available through on-line services and provide a data communication channel that links computers and permits users to converse by sending text messages to one another in real-time.
Some instant messaging systems allow users to designate an availability status from among several pre-determined availability status indicators. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,173, a user may designate an availability status as “attentive”, “idle”, “do not disturb”, or “absent”. Other instant messaging systems may allow a user to indicate that the user is not available and specify a message that is made available to other users attempting to contact the user.
However, instant messaging systems are limited in that while a user can select an availability status, that status does not include an estimated length of time of availability or indicators of upcoming scheduling conflicts that may cause a user to leave a messaging session. Moreover, when a user is absent or unavailable, instant messaging systems are limited in that other users are not provided with an estimated time when the user may be available again.
Further, some messaging systems will allow a user to view the events scheduled for another user. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,034,683, schedules of other users are viewable within a browser. However, messaging systems are limited in that while a user may view other user's schedules, the scheduled events are those added to the schedule by the user and do not provide information estimating when a user may be available for messaging.
In view of the foregoing, it would be advantageous to provide a method, system and program for estimating availability of users for participation in a messaging session. In particular, it would be advantageous to provide a method, system, and program for notifying users of other users' availability taking into account time zone differences and scheduling.